Apparatus for use in setting up printing machinery



May 21, 1963 G. w. GlFFoRD 3,090,129

APPARATUS FOR UsE IN SETTING uP PRINTING MACHINERY May 21, 1963 G. W. GIFFORD 3,090,129

APPARATUS FOR USR IN SETTING UR PRINTING MACHINERY Filed Aug'. 4, 196() 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 21, 1963 G. w. GxFFoRD 3,090,129

APPARATUS FOR USE IN SETTING UP PRINTING MACHINERY May 21, 1963 G. w. GIFFORD APPARATUS F.OR USE IN SETTING UP PRINTING MACHINERY 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 4, 1960 United States Patent O 3,090,129 APPARATUS FOR USE IN SETTING UP PRINTING MACHINERY Guthrie William Gilford, 136 Thornhill Road, Streetly, Warwickshire, England Filed Aug. 4, 1960, Ser. No. 46,632 Claims priority, application Great Britain Aug. 17, 1959 3 Claims. (Cl. 33t-184.5)

This invention relates to apparatus to be used in setting up printing machinery and has particular (but not exclusive) reference to the preparation of the plate cylinders used in rotary printing presses.

Such plate cylinders are used to support the printing plates used in the printing process and one known form of plate has a printing surface made of rubber or other ilexible material, the back of the plate being provided with a pressure-sensitive adhesive substance whereby the plate can be stuck to the plate cylinder or to a mounting plate attached to the plate cylinder.

It is essential that the printing plates should be `accurately positioned on the plate cylinders and it will be appreciated that it is extremely diihcult if not impossible to make any adjustments to the position of a plate once it has been brought into contact with the cylinder.

The object of the present invention is to provide apparatus whereby the preparation of `a plate cylinder is facilitated, and it is intended that apparatus according lto the invention should be used in conjunction with a device `described in my co-pending patent application Serial No. 46,618 now abandoned of even date, which device comprises an apertured sheet of transparent and ilexible material having a grid or other indicator marks ruled thereon.

Apparatus in accordance with the present invention comprises a base, a support member rotatably mounted on said base, a circumferentially extending scale and co-acting indicator for measuring the angular displacement of the support member from `a datum position, `a bracket mounted for movement in a direction parallel to the rotational axis of said support member and clamping means for releasably clam-ping the bracket in a predetermined position.

The bracket referred to is intended to support a transparent sheet which is constructed as described in my copending patent application and `for this purpose said bracket is preferably provided with a plurality of spaced projections adapted to fit into a plurality of spaced holes provided in the transparent sheet. Furthermore, the bracket is preferably slidably mounted on an elongated guide Awhich extends parallel to the rotational `axis of the support member and said elongated guide may itself be rotatable.

The invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the yaccompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of one form of apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a sectional side view, taken on the line 2 2 of FIGURE l,

FIGURE 3 is a sectional plan view, taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2 and FIGURES 4 and 5 are respectively a sectional view and a fragmentary plan view (on a larger scale) of part of the apparatus shown in FIGURES 1-3, FIGURE 4 depicting a bracket which is turned through 90 with respect to the position shown in FIGURE 5.

Referring now to the drawings the apparatus depicted therein includes a base on -which is mounted a pair of spaced side plates 11 connected together by cross members 12. Mounted in the said side plates 1'1 'are bearings 13 which serve to support a rotatable support member in the form of a drum 14. As will be seen in FIGURE 2 Patented May 2l, 1963 ICC said drum -14 incorporates a semi-cylindrical member 15 which is adapted to support a mounting plate on which a printing plate or stereo is to be mounted before lthe mounting plate is transferred to a printing press.

The drum 14 is carried on a spindle `16 'and on an extension at one end o-f said spindle 16 isa pair of toothed wheels 17 and 18 which are separated by 1a disc 19 on which is marked a circumferentially extending scale, the toothed wheels 17 and 18 and the disc 19 being rotatable together with the drum 1'4. The apparatus is also provided with a xed indicator 20 having a viewing window 21 (see FIGURE l) through which the scale marked on disc I19 can be read. At the rear of the apparatus is disposed a lever 22 connected to a spindle 23 on one end of which is mounted a bevel gear 24 which engages with a bevel gear 25. The latter is mounted on a spindle 26 which carries a pair of toothed segments 27 and 28 which are `adapted to co-operate respectively with the toothed wheels 17 and 18. An extension 29 of the lever 22 is provided with a spring loaded plunger 30 which cooperates with a notched or recessed plate for the purpose of locating the lever 22 in any of its operative positions.

Thus the lever 22 can be arranged in -a neutral position in which both of the segments 27 and 28 are o-ut of engagement with the `associated toothed wheels so that the drum 14 is free to rotate in its bearings 13. Alternatively the lever 22 can be moved to one side or the other of its neutral position so as to cause rotation of the spindle 26 in one direction or the other `and thereby engage one of the segments 27, 28 with the `associated toothed wheel. In either of these positions where one of the toothed Segments is engaged with a toothed wheel the drum 14 will be prevented from rotating. The two wheels 17 and 18 have the same number of teeth but the teeth of wheel 17 are offset from the teeth of wheel 18 so that the teeth of the two wheels are out of alignment with each other. Thus the minimum adjustment that can be made in the angular position of drum I14 is the angular separation between the tooth of one of said wheels and the adjacent tooth of the other wheel. Conveniently handles 31 are provided on the outer face of the wheel 18 to assist in rotating the drum 14.

The apparatus is also provided at its rear Iwith an elongated -guide in the form of a rotatable spindle 32 which is rotatable about an axis parallel to the rotational axis of the drum 14. Mounted on said spindle 32 for sliding movement therealong is a bracket `generally indicated by reference numeral 33. Said bracket carries at its forward side a series of spaced projections or studs 34 and can be clamped to the spindle 32 by screw operated clamps 35. The aforementioned studs 34 are mounted on a bar 36 on which is also mounted a sleeve 37 which is rotatable on the bar 36 by a handle 38. The studs 34 are adapted to locate a sheet (which forms the subject matter of my above mentioned copending patent application No. 46,618, now abandoned), said sheet being provided with a plurality of spaced holes corresponding with the studs 34. The sleeve 37 is shaped so that rotation of the sleeve from the position shown in FIGURE 5 to a position in which the studs 34 are located in notches 39 provided in the sleeve will result in a sheet mounted on the studs 34 being lifted therefrom, thereby facilitating the detachment of such a sheet from the apparatus.

The bracket -33 is also provided with a toothed segment 40 which is adapted to co-operate with a fixed linear scale 41 also provided with teeth. In use the bracket 33 would be rotated to a position approaching that shown in FIGURE 4 and the clamps 35 released so that the bracket can be slid along the spindle 32 to the required position, whereupon the toothed segment 4t) can 'be brought, by slight further rotational movement of the bracket, into engagement with the adjacent teeth of the xed linear scale 41 as shown in FlGURE 4. rThe clamps 35 can then be tightened and the bracket turned with the spindle 32 in a clockwise direction as shown in FIGURE 4 so as to be ready to receive the sheet which is formed of transparent material and on which is ruled a xgrid as more particularly described in the co-pending application aforesaid.

Thus the bracket 33 serves to carry a transparent sheet which will tbe used to position a printing plate or stereo formed for example from rubber on a mounting plate which Jwill be mounted in any convenient manner on the drum 14. Axial movement of the bracket 33 and rotation or movement of the drum i4 can be used to position the printing plate or stereo accurately in any desired position relative lto the drum. The printing plate or stereo can then be transferred from the transparent sheet which carries it (as described in the aforementioned copending application) to the mounting plate which is mounted on the drum 14. The mounting plate together -with the attached printing plate or stereo can then be transferred to the printing press.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. For use in setting up printing machinery, apparatus comprising in combination a base, a printing elementsupport member rotatably mounted on said base, a disc secured coaxially to said support member, and provided with a circumferentially extending scale, a fixed indicator which serves in conjunction with said scale for measuring the angular displacement of said support member from a datum position, an elongated guide mounted on, and rotatable about, an axis parallel to the rotation axis of said support member, a bracket slidably mounted on said elongated guide, clamping means for releasably securing said bracket in any desired position on said elongated guide, at least one toothed wheel secured coaxially to said support member so as to be rotatable therewith, and a toothed segment which' is pivotally mounted on a fixed axis so as to be movable to and from a position in which it engages said toothed wheel for retaining said support member in the desired position.

2. Apparatus according to lclaim l, wherein said bracket is provided with a bar having thereon a plurality of spaced projections Afor occupying a plurality of correspondingly spaced apertures in a transparent sheet to be used with the apparatus, and is also provided with a sleeve rotatably mounted on said bar and having at least one opening through which said projections extend, the sleeve being shaped so that movement thereof through a predetermined angle can serve to lift said sheet relative to said projections, and thereby facilitate detachment of said sheet from said projections.

3. For use in setting up printing machinery, apparatus comprising in combination a base, a printing elementsupport member rotatably mounted on said base, a disc secured coaxially to said support member, and provided with a circumferentially extending scale, a tixed indicator which serves in conjunction with said scale for measuring the angular displacement of said support member from a datum position, an elongated guide mounted on, and rotatable about, an axis parallel to the rotation axis of said support member, a bracket slidably mounted on said elongated guide, clamping means for releasably securing said bracket in any desired position on said elongated guide, a pair ot' toothed Wheels secured coaxially to said Vsupport member so as to be rotatable therewith, and a pair References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Claybourn Oct. 12, 1937 Faeber Mar. 6, 1956 

3. FOR USE IN SETTING UP PRINTING MACHINERY, APPARATUS COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A BASE, A PRINTING ELEMENTSUPPORT MEMBER ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID BASE, A DISC SECURED COAXIALLY TO SAID SUPPORT MEMBER, AND PROVIDED WITH A CIRCUMFERENTIALLY EXTENDING SCALE, A FIXED INDICATOR WHICH SERVES IN CONJUNCTION WITH SAID SCALE FOR MEASURING THE ANGULAR DISPLACEMENT OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBER FROM A DATUM POSITION, AN ELONGATED GUIDE MOUNTED ON, AND ROTATABLE ABOUT AN AXIS PARALLEL TO THE ROTATION AXIS OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBER, A BRACKET SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID ELONGATED GUIDE, CLAMPING MEANS FOR RELEASABLY SECURING SAID BRACKET IN ANY DESIRED POSITION ON SAID ELONGATED GUIDE, A PAIR OF TOOTHED WHEELS SECURED COAXIALLY TO SAID 